Area juries take place at the end of each semester and serve as the final exam for private lessons. Students perform for their private teacher and the faculty in that area. The jury will provide written feedback for the student.
Music majors in MUL 2500 or 4500 must play a jury (either Level or Area) at the end of each semester. Private teachers may excuse a student during their first semester of study, or during a semester when they perform a Senior Recital.
Music Technology and Business concentrators, music minors, and non-majors/non-minors will play an area jury if their teacher, in consultation with the relevant performance area head, requires them to.
Requirements
Woodwind/Brass/Percussion
Minors and Non-majors: Minors and non-majors are not generally required to perform area juries, but may be required to do so by their teachers.
Strings (including Classical Guitar)
Minors and Non-majors: Minors and non-majors are not required to perform area juries.
Jazz
Minors and Non-majors: Minors and non-majors are not required to perform area juries.
Required Jazz Tunes
The "tune test" is taken in the semester preceding the Senior Recital, during the end-of-semester area jury. This is an added component--it does not replace the usual end-of-semester area jury.
For the tune test, faculty name four pieces from the ¶¶Òõ̽̽ List of Required Jazz Tunes (PDF). The student chooses one from the four named and performs the piece from memory, demonstrating an accurate melody and successful navigation of the chord changes.
For guitarists, pianists, and bassists, the student creates a list with the private teacher that includes at least 20 tunes chosen from the ¶¶Òõ̽̽ List of Required Jazz Tunes. Faculty choose one piece from this list and the student plays that piece from memory (performing the melody, taking a solo, and comping).
Voice
Minors and Non-majors: Minors and non-majors are not generally required to perform area juries, but may be required to do so by their teachers.
For every credit of applied study, there should be a system of vocalizes, as well as 4 repertory pieces that have been memorized and performed. So, if you are taking 2 credits of singing, you should have a large number of vocalizes and at least 8 repertory pieces by the end of the semester of study.
Piano
Majors, Minors, and Non-majors: All students taking piano lessons for credit are required to perform a jury at the end of every semester. This requirement is the equivalent of a final examination and is graded by a panel of teachers. The jury provides written comments to the student and makes recommendations to the principal teacher, who considers the recommendations when calculating the final grade.
For the jury, per credit of lessons the student should plan to perform three contrasting pieces learned during the semester. At the MUL 033 level or above, at least one work should be performed by memory. Depending on difficulty or length of repertory, more or fewer pieces may be played, with guidance from the instructor.
For questions relating to area juries, contact the head of each area:
- Woodwind, Brass, Percussion - Prof. Toner
D.Toner@uvm.edu - Strings - Prof. Kono
Yutaka.Kono@uvm.edu - Jazz - Prof. Stewart
Alexander.Stewart@uvm.edu - Voice - Prof. Maas
Andrea.Maas@uvm.edu - Piano - Prof. Kono
Yutaka.Kono@uvm.edu